Pro Football Fanatic

The Steelers scored on a touchdown strike to Santonio Holmes to take the lead with less than a minute left, and won their 6th Super Bowl title in a game that would be determined by a record setting 100 yard interception return by Steeler’s DE/LB James Harrison with time expired at the end of the first half. This pic was the only one given up by Warner but proved deadly against the NFL’s #1 defense. This pass that Harrison picked off was thrown to Anquan Bolden in the end zone, but Harrison stepped in front of it and then it was “off to the races”. This play changed the face of the game. When it was over, instead of the Cardinals going to the locker room up 14-10, it was 17-7 Steelers. But the Cardinals,true to their play off form, weren’t going away. They aren’t called the “Cardiac Cardinals” for nothing.

The third quarter was like a lot of SB 3rd quarters of late; the only scoring was a field goal by the Steelers. It was now Steelers 20  Cardinals 7. If this had been the old Cardinals, I would have put on an old Clint Eastwood movie for the rest of afternoon, but this was the new  Cardinals team that had emerged from that “train wreck” against the New England Patriots. This Cardinal team was not  going to “mail it in”. This Cardinal team scored 16 points in 7 minutes during the 4th quarter against the NFL’s #1 defense(actually it was 14 points against the defense, 2 points came when the Cardinal’s defense scored a Safetyon the Steeler’s offense, that’s what I said, the Cardinal’s defense scored a Safety).

When the Cardinal’s Super star WR Larry Fitzgerald caught that slant over the middle and scampered to pay dirt with two minutes and change left on the clock many people probably thought that the Cinderella story of the Cardinals would continue. I said at the time, “there is too much time left to be celebrating”. Why? The Steeler’s haven’t won 6 Super Bowl titles “by accident”. The measure of a great team is the ability to pull victory from the jaws of defeat, just as the Cardinals did against the Eagles two weeks ago with that classic clock eating, game winning drive. This time it was the Steelers who systematically drove the ball almost 90 yards in less than 2 minutes and scored what proved to be the game winning touchdown.

Cardinal fans everywhere were in shock and dismay as Holmes, who was triple teamed, pulled in a pass that many receivers wouldn’t have caught; for that , he deserved the MVP. With the score now  27 -23, the Cardinals received the kick off and ended up having 35 ticks of the clock left to pull off the miracle upset. Unfortunately, the game did not end on a “Hail Mary” jump ball in the end zone that Larry Fitzgerald would have had a good shot at catching, but rather on a controversial call, that essentially ended the game. And perhaps this is why Cardinal fans across America were so “bummed out”(that’s me showing my age again lol!).

I am going to preface the following statement by saying that the officials did not lose the game for the Cardinals, nor did they “throw it”(at least not that I know of). The Cardinals lost the game for three reasons: First, they let Ben Roethlisberger “run free” and hit his receivers downfield for critical yardage on third down. Secondly, the Cardinal’s offense let one of the slower men on the field, run an interception back 100 yards for a touchdown. Thirdly, and maybe the least reason of the three, is that the Cardinal’s defense couldn’t hold the lead with the game on the line. I say the least, because they had held the Steelers to one field goal the entire 2nd half, until that closing drive. The Cardinals lost this game earlier on. Now, about the officials…

On a kick off in the 4th quarter, 100 million people saw Steeler’s DE/LB James Harrison, you remember him, the man who ambled for 100 yards and a touchdown off of an interception? He was punching Cardinal’s DB Aaron Fransisco, who was down on the ground, punching him on the back, as though he was in some back alley in Pittsburgh, outside of a bar. What was that all about?That had nothing to do with Football. He was penalized for “unsportsman like conduct” NO KIDDING! I am still wondering why the officials did not send him to the showers immediately for that. On a sideline pass in the 4th quarter, Cardinal’s WR Anquan Boldin was punched in the face by the Steeler’s defender that he embarrassed on that play. Once again, a 15 yard penalty, but for “street fighting”? That actually is more disturbing to me than the Cardinal’s losing a game that they should have won. The other call that indicates that the Cardinals still get no respect from the officiating crews, came on the last play where Warner was about to throw, when his arm got hit and the ball came out. There was no replay. The officials gave the ball to the Steeler’s with 5 seconds left and that was the game.

It seems to me that when you have a bang-bang play, that it should automatically be reviewed when the game is on the line. If the score had been 30-7, maybe there would have been no reason to review it. But in the Super Bowl, with Warner and Fitzgerald on the field, the officials know that with 5 seconds, it isn’t over. Would they have reviewed it if it had been the Steelers who were trying to win the game in the closing seconds? My gut tells me that they probably would have, because the Steelers have respect from the NFL, and they have earned it, but in the biggest game of the year, choosing not to review a controversial call when the game is on the line? I have to ask myself why.  Incidentally, in the AP this morning the NFL stated that they reviewed the play(after the game, of course), and determined that it was indeed a fumble. Gee, I am so happy for the NFL officiating crew at the Super Bowl. I am certainly glad that after further review(when it no longer affected the outcome of the game), that they got the call right. How convenient! Just think, if they had called it wrong, we’d have to get everybody back to Tampa, and put 5 seconds on the clock and replay the last play. Boy, would that be a lot of work! A… Yeah….

Congrats to the Steelers who won an unprecedented 6th NFL title. This is a franchise who prides itself on running the ball, and having a defense that is second to none. This is a time tested formula for success in the NFL. Once again, solid defense won the game; that interception return made the difference. Congratulations to the Arizona Cardinals, my home team, who became a team that didn’t quit, but one that kept fighting to the end. Incidentally, Willie Parker was held to 53 yards rushing. It was “Big Ben” that they couldn’t contain. All in all, it was a fun game to watch(with the exception of the boring 3rd quarter). Will the Cardinals get back to the Super Bowl before another 60 years goes by?  Who knows, but a thank you to Cardinal’s coach Ken Whisenhunt for a great run at the Big One, and hopefully, more to come. Mr. Whisenhunt, you have transformed this team into a winner, and for that, we all thank you.

Well gang, this is it. The big game is over. I won’t be posting anything for a while, but I will be blogging on Baseball, at least some; the web address is www.baseball-card-fanatic.com. I’ll try to get a post up on the Pro Bowl next Monday, but after that, I wont post anything until the draft in April. A thank-you to my readers. I have enjoyed football blogging more than I thought. I can hardly wait until next season. I’ll catch you next Monday, and then.. that’s all folks… for awhile. Have a great week. Click here for video highlights from NFL.com

                                                                                                                            Frank

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The game is almost here and I am still amazed at the fact that the Cardinals are in it. And they are  in it. All of the talk has been about the explosive offense of the Cardinals vs. the Die hard consistent and relentless defense of the Steelers. I would have to agree that that just about sums it up. In my NFC/AFC championship preview I did state that I believed that the winner of the AFC would win it all. Maybe that is because I am “old school”, and I have a deep respect for teams who have a long tradition of focusing on building a solid running game and creating a die hard defense that does its best work in the trenches.

 There has been much written about what team was the best defensive team of all time. I guess that I wouldn’t argue with someone who said that it was the 2000 Ravens. You could make a case for them that would stick. But what about a Defensive dynasty for the ages? I would take the Steel Curtain of the  1970’s led by “Mean” Joe Greene, Jack Ham and Jack Lambert. The Steeler’s offense knew that even when they went 3 and out, that their defense would usually get the ball back pretty quick. This took a lot of pressure off of Terry Bradshaw, who also had Franco Harris to rely on. Bradshaw was a gamer, and his 4 Super Bowl wins in the 70’s demonstrates that he knew how to be cool under pressure and play his game. I believe that his “Steel Curtain” made this possible.

We have seen great playing defenses win big games, and I am not going to list them all(lol!), but just to illustrate the point let’s look at the last 3 games played by the Arizona  Cardinals. The Cardinals were not known as a defensive juggernaut during the regular season, albeit they had they bright spots, such as that blocked punt in OT against Dallas, but in general, they have relied mostly on their offense. But, in the Falcons game, they demonstrated that they could shut down Michael Turner, the 2nd best rusher in football, and force Matt Ryan to throw into coverage, which resulted in 2 pics. They also demonstrated that in a close game, they would force a big play. SS Antrelle Rolle “intercepted a hand off” and ran it back for a touchdown, a play that ultimately determined the game.  In the Panther’s game, they followed the plan of shutting down the run, which forced Jake Delhomme to throw. The result: 5 interceptions and 1 forced fumble. The Cardinals consequently scored 23 points from those 6 turnovers. In my 21 years of following the Cardinals, that is the sweetest game I have ever seen them play. In the Eagle’s game, they shut down the run, and chased Donovan McNabb in the first half.  In the second half, they rushed 3 and McNabb picked the secondary apart. We learned 3 things about the Cardinals in that game. First, the whole world now knows why they are called the “Cardiac Cardinals” by the fans that have followed them for years; they about gave all of us a heart attack in the 3rd and 4th quarters of the NFC Championship. Secondly, we learned that , unlike in the past, this Cardinal team did not “fold” when they were behind late in the game. Instead, they played it cool, and rose to the occasion, marching the ball down the field for a go ahead score. And finally, we learned that for whatever reason the Cardinal’s defense went AWOL in the second half , they did make a final stand when it counted the most, and went back to their 1st quarter M.O. of rushing the passer, which created a “hurry up” situation for McNabb. The Eagle’s season ended as McNabb’s last 4 passes fell incomplete.

So the question for the biggest football stage of all is: Will this new Cardinals defense, the one that beat the Falcons, embarrassed the Panthers, and got revenge(barely) on the Eagles show up, or will the defense that played in the 3rd and most of the 4th quarter of the NFC Championship be the one the Steelers face? That is the key to the game. I said last week that the AFC Champ would win it all because we were dealing with the #1 and #2 defenses in the NFL. There is a scenario that gives the Cardinals the win, but any deviation from this formula probably means defeat. 1.) They must stuff  Willie Parker running up the middle and especially on pitch outs, they must not let him “turn the corner”. 2.) They must rush 4 and sometimes 5 against Ben Roethlisberger in order to hurry him, or hopefully, sack him several times. 3.) The Cards’ OL must pick up the Blitz and protect Kurt Warner consistently so that Larry Fitzgerald can do what he does best 4.) The Cardinals must not turn the ball over. 5.) They must give Edgerrin James the ball at least 12 times. These five  components have been the keys to the Cards success in the Post season. I see no reason to change that game plan. They can beat the Steelers, but will they?

My own personal view on this game is that I hope for the Cardinals, their fans(including me) and the great state of Arizona that they win this one. It’s not so much that I don’t want the Steelers to win, but I figure that Pittsburgh will probably have many more chances to be in the big game over the next 60 years, and the Cardinals may not have that luxury. I guess I need to make a prediction. As I said above, if the Cardinals follow that formula that has corralled them 3 wins in a row against “better” teams, they will win, otherwise, they will lose. I have to pick the Steelers, because I haven’t seen the Cardinals ever play that consistently. I will be glad to eat “humble pie” if the Cardinals win Sunday night. GO  CARDS!

Enjoy the game with family and friends,

                                                               Frank

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What a day yesterday! I’m still in shock. I was shocked that the Cardinals actually hung on, and I was concerned about Willis McGahee, but I heard to day that he has been moving his arms and legs, and so I don’t think that he has a broken neck, but that hit looked vicious. I’m thankful that he is OK. So, Cards coach Ken Whisenhunt will face his old team. Incidentally, the Cards played the Steelers in Glendale last year and won 21-14. This could be a good game. Now, on to the highlights and the analysis’ of the AFC/NFC  Championship games.

Cardinals  32   Eagles   25   “Believe It” read the headline of the Arizona Republic this morning, and I guess that’s what I’ll do. Kurt Warner threw for 279 yards and 4 TD’s, while Larry Fitzgerald made his case for MVP of the NFC Championship game by putting on a WR clinic that included 3 TD’s one of which was a 62 yd. Flea Flicker reception. And the Defense did just enough, barely, to win their first trip ever to the Superbowl. I sat amazed in the first half, seeing that the Cardinals were one bad call away from putting the game away. In the second half, I saw what I had so greatly feared, the thing that I have witnessed over the years on a regular basis: the abdication of the Defense. In my post on Saturday, I said that I believed that the Cards could beat the Eagles but they  would have to play 60 minutes. Well, the Defense went AWOL in the 3rd quarter, but they did show up at the end, and Kurt Warner, who probably deserves to be crowned the league’s MVP, drove the Cardinals to a game leading and eventually, winning, touchdown, making up for the 19 unanswered points that the Eagles put up in the 3rd and 4th quarters. The Eagles had their chances in the first half, but Donovan McNabb was not hitting his targets down field, an oversight that was corrected in the 2nd half. I guess that it was the Cards time to go, and as one fan so ardently expressed by the sign they were holding high: We are who we thought we were. Crown us. A note to Denny Green: This win was for you and all of the Cardinal fans who put up with so much heart break for so long. If the Cards win, they should send you a ring. Thanks for drafting Larry Fitzgerald, Darnell Dockett, Carlos Dansby, Antonio Smith. Enjoy the ‘Bowl. Click here for Cardinals/Eagles Highlights from NFL.com

Steelers 23   Ravens  14. In a game that was probably the hardest hitting game of the year, the Steelers defeated for the 3rd time this year, the Baltimore Ravens. This game was close until, as I predicted, One huge turnover changed the momentum of the game. Joe Flacco threw into zone coverage over the middle and All Pro SS Troy Polamalu snagged it out of mid-air from a deflection, and ran it back for a touchdown; that was the difference in the game. Even then the Ravens were driving with a few minutes left when RB Willis MaGahee was plowed into by Steelers safety, Ryan Clark, on a helmet to helmet hit, which is an illegal hit, and McGahee fumbled the ball, and the Steelers recovered. Click here to see the hit. Joe Flacco wasn’t hitting his receivers, and did not look like the “Joe Cool” we have seen all season. The Ravens also had their defensive starters “dropping like flies” from the opening kick off, overall, not a good day for the Ravens. The Steelers didn’t actually look all that sharp either, on offense. Ben Roethlisberger was being chased and sacked frequently last night. Of course they were playing against a defense about as good as their own. This game was about defense. The Cards would do well to “make a note”: Rush more than 3 lineman in the Superbowl, or else Roethlisberger will do what McNabb did in the 3rd quarter yesterday and stand in the pocket for 15 minutes until someone gets open.  I’m happy for Pittsburgh. I’m also happy that the news is encouraging about Willis McGahee. I have been an AFC fan for a long time but now find myself in the unbelievable postion of cheering against the Steelers, and for my Cardinals, whom I thought would not go to the Superbowl in my lifetime. A person can be wrong about things, even when there is an established pattern. It could be a good game. I’ll post my Superbowl analysis next Saturday. Click here for the Ravens/Steelers highlights.

Have a great week off and we’ll be talking soon.

                                                                                Frank

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Welcome to Championship week in the NFL. I like all 4 of these teams, and how they’ve come to this point in the season. These 2 games could be the best 2 games we’ve seen yet in the play offs. They involve some great match ups of some of the best players in the game and in general, I believe that these games should be close, and that a turnover or a big penalty at a crucial moment could be the deciding factor. I also believe that whoever wins the AFC will probably win it all. Let’s take a look at the games.

Eagles @ Cardinals.  None of the experts would have picked the Cardinals to be here, even as late as 2 weeks ago. As a person who  has followed these guys for 20+ years, I am amazed at what I’ve seen the last 2 weeks. This game features the #4 offense in football led by Kurt Warner  versus the #4 defense in football led by Brian Dawkins. The Cardinals haven’t faced a defense this good since they played theses guys on Thanksgiving. However, the Eagles haven’t faced an offense this good for a long time. Who has the edge? This is a tough game to call. If the Cardinals follow the game plan of establishing the run with Edgerrin James, then I think that the Eagles will have to be more mindful of blitzing every down, because that could result in a big run for the Big Red, and Big Plays will probably be a premium in this game. If Warner has time to throw, this could be a long day for the Eagles defense. For Donovan McNabb and Co., they must get Brian Westbrook into the game and hope that he is healthy enough to take a beating, which he will get if the same defensive unit for the Cardinals shows up that played the last 2 weeks, and that is the “X” factor. If the Cardinals defense can shut down Brian Westbrook’s rushing, and limit his receptions to the safety valve throws that gain 3-4 yards, it could be a short day for the Eagle’s offense. Can the Cinderella post-season continue for the Cards? I hope the Cards win this one, but I am not certain that their defense will play the same way, 3 weeks in a row. In that case, I must go with the Eagles by 3. No matter the outcome, I am proud of the Cardinals for making the football post season an exciting one to watch.

Ravens @ Steelers. This game will decide the Super Bowl champ. Until last week when Willie Parker demonstrated to the football world that he is healed from his injury, I questioned whether or not the Steelers who ranked 20th in Offense, would be able to win it all on the back of their defense, because as good as the Steelers defense is, and it is good, I didn’t see them as the 2000 Ravens. Even the 2000 Ravens had Jamal Lewis, which made a huge difference, because until the last week of the season, the Steelers had no running game. Things have now changed. Willie Parker is back and in full form. However, running against the #2 Defense in the NFL will not be like running against the Chargers’ 25th ranked defense. I will enjoy watching the defense of both of these teams more than their offense, and who wouldn’t? The #1 defense plays the #2 defense. I believe that in this game, the defense will win it. Who ever turns the ball over the most will watch the Super bowl at home. There may not be any turnovers, but this seems to be the “X” factor in the game. Maybe a big penalty at a crucial point in the game will do it. I believe that this game will be so close that one mistake will win it. This will be the 3rd meeting between these 2 teams. The first game in Pittsburgh, the Steelers won in OT on a field goal. The second game in Baltimore, the Steelers won in the closing seconds on perhaps the most controversial touchdown call this season. The Ravens have something to prove. As good as Joe Flacco and Le’Ron McClain have played, the Ravens season will hinge on shutting down Willie Parker, chasing Ben Roethlisberger, and their usual M.O. of hawking every pass. I predict a low scoring game( of course, having said that it will probably be a shoot out! lol!) This is the toughest game I have called this year. I am taking the Ravens by 2.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the games. Kick off is at 3:00 P.M. EST  Sunday

                                                                                                                               Frank

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WOW! What a weekend! And like last weekend I went 2-2. Since Week 15 I have been amazed at how things have played out. BUT when I think of how much money the odds makers have lost, I guess I can eat some crow for my  “miscalculations”. Let’s get to the recaps of the AFC/NFC Divisional games.

Ravens 13   Titans  10  This game was the toughest for me to call because the teams are so similar. I had stated that the team that ran the best would win, of course, that isn’t  how it turned out. Chris Johnson ran like wild fire in the first quarter, but then he got injured and didn’t come back. Le’Ron McClain did not have a stellar game, and Ravens RB Wiilis McGahee had an OK day. The difference in the game was turnovers: The Titans gave the ball away 3 times(or you could say the Ravens took it away). The point is that Ravens QB Joe Flacco looked more like rookie of the year than Matt Ryan did last week. Flacco was calm and collected and was not sacked. The two teams actually threw more than I thought they would, but the Titans paid the bill for throwing against the Ravens secondary. It wasn’t exactly “exciting” but it was a good game all the way to the end. Click here for video highlights.

Cardinals  33   Panthers   13 . Well, even though I predicted that the Panthers would win, I did say that if the Cardinals used the same game plan as they did with the Falcons , that they would win; anyway, I was correct about that. In fact, Edgerrin James and Tim Hightower together rushed for 146 yards. WOW! That performance was impressive. I guess that the “phantom” defensive squad did NOT get back on the mother ship. The Panthers scored in the first 3 minutes of the game, launching an impressive drive that ended in a TD. For the next 56 minutes the Cardinals were in COMPLETE control of the game. With 50 seconds left in the game , the Panthers scored their last touchdown, which was completely meaningless except for the statistician. That was the best game I have ever seen them play, and I have followed them since they moved to Arizona in 1987. The Defense of the Cardinals were hawking passes all night. They intercepted Jake Delhomme 5 times and forced 1 fumble. 23 of their 33 points were off of turn overs! I’ll say it again: WHO ARE THESE GUYS! These guys are capable of going to the Superbowl. I never thought that I would be saying that about the Cardinals. I wish them the best this weekend. Click here for video highlights.

Eagles  23   Giants   11. This game was the least interesting of the 4 games this past weekend.  I thought that the Giants looked tired on Sunday. They did not seem to have the “sharpness” that they have frequently displayed during the season, not that Philly looked all that good, but they made fewer mistakes than the Giants. In fact, that was the key: turnovers. Just like the Ravens/Titans game, this game would hinge on miscues. The wind was a huge factor. The Giants missed several field goals, but still, they just did not look as sharp. Eli Manning was not sharp, and his 2 pics(one of which was returned for a TD) did not help their cause. The Eagles defense was probably the most consistent unit on the field that day, and it paid off. We’ll see what happens. Something needs to be mentioned: the Giants had lost 3 of their last 4 games where Philly had been surging from a season that looked “dead” after their tie with the Bengals. Ever since that ugly game, Donovan McNabb has played like a “man on a mission”. Maybe this “Bye” week isn’t always a good thing. Both #1 seeds were knocked off, as well as a #2 seed. What’s the point? 3 of the 4 teams that  had a “bye” are going to be watching the AFC/NFC Championship games at home. Maybe a “bye” means “good bye”. Click here for video highlights.

Steelers  35  Chargers  24. This game was a fun game to watch. It was a closer game than the score indicates. The Chargers would mount comebacks but the Steelers always seemed to answer back. The Steelers were using the formula that worked so well in the play offs: establish the run early, and play tough defense consistently until the final gun. Steelers RB Willie Parker had a great game, which helped set up play action for QB Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers cashed in on this formula. Their defense had Chargers QB Phillip Rivers guessing most of the night. The Steeler’s offense, which has sputtered all year, looked revitalized last Sunday.Click here for video highlights. We’ll take a look at the Ravens/Steelers game, as well as the Eagles/Cards game on my Saturday post. Until then, have a great week.

                                                                                                                   Frank

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Well, It’s time again for the summary and predictions for the divisional play offs. All of these games should be good.

Ravens @ Titans. Welcome to “slug-fest” football. For my money, this is the best game this weekend. It features two teams whos’ philosophy is to pound the ball on offense, and pound the ball carrier on defense. Both of these teams also like to force opposing QB’s to throw into “hawking” secondaries. This game will not be the “air show” game of the week, but it might be the closest one. As Jeff Fisher said this week: It might go down to the last man standing. I quite agree. This game will come down to two things: First, Le’Ron McClain vs. Chris Johnson: Whichever one of these two RB’shas the better game will probably leave the field the winner. Secondly, one of these defenses will come up with a huge play that could end up being the “game changer”. This game is the toughest one for me to pick, but I am taking the Ravens by 1

Cardinals @ Panthers. Two Questions: First, Can the Cardinals win on the East coast? Secondly, Who were those guys who played defense for the Cardinals last week who held RB Michael Turner, the 2nd leading rusher in the NFL, to 42 yards, and forced QB Matt Ryan, NFL rookie of the year, to throw 2 pics, and force a fumble that led to a game winning touchdown? Who are these guys?  If these guys show up today, and can shut down DeAngelo Williams the way they did Michael Turner, then they could come away with a win. The Cardinals played the panthers in Charlotte back in October and lost by 4 points: a botched “fake field goal”, and a missed XP. So, this game will come down to whether or not this “phantom” defensive unit shows up or not. To answer the first question, the answer is yes, I believe that they can win on the East coast, but again, they need to get RB Edgerrin James into the game early, to set up play action for Kurt Warner and Co. That is the formula for the Cards to win. Unfortunately, I’m afraid that the Defense that showed up last week will go back to the “mother ship” before game time. I’ll take the Panthers by 3.

Eagles @ Giants.This could be the 2nd best game of the week. These two conference opponents have split this season by winning on the road. Point of fact: the Giants have dropped 3 of the last 4, one of those was meaningless, but nonetheless, this Eagles team that beat the Giants several weeks ago looked different than the team that tied the Bengals at mid season. Last week at Minnesota, the Eagles offense did not look that good. In fact, the Vikings were in that game until the 4th quarter. If the Eagles offense struggles like that on Sunday, it could be a long day for Donovan McNabb and Co. On the other hand, the Giants have RB Brandon Jacobs back, and will have RB’s Ahmad Bradshaw and Derrick Ward to try and punish the Eagles D-Line. I believe that the game will come down to whether or not the Giants can run the ball against Philly’s 4th ranked run defense. If they can, QB Eli Manning will not have to face 3rd and long situations where he’d throw into a hungry secondary. The Eagles will win if RB Brian Westbrook has a good day rushing and receiving. I think that RB Brandon Jacobs will make the bigger impact. Giants by 3

Chargers @ Steelers.The question is: Do the Steelers have enough offense to win? The last time that these two teams played the Steelers won with a safety and 3 field goals. Of course, they didn’t have RB Willie Parker back at that time either. He rushed for 116 yds. in the last game the Steelers played in the regular season. I believe that he will be ready. Charger’s will need to rely on RB Darren Sproles because LT is out. The Steelers will be tough to beat at home, in a play off atmosphere, in 20 degree weather. Can Phillip Rivers win the game through the air? I doubt it. I think that Ben Roethlisberger who is coming back 2 weeks after a concussion, will rely on a rejuvenated running game andhis defense to come up with the Big Play. This game could be fairly close, but I believe that the Steeler’s defense will rise to the occasion. Steelers by 4

Enjoy the games. Have a great weekend.

                                                                         Frank

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What a wild Saturday. The two teams with the worst records in the play offs( Cardinals 9-7 and the Chargers 8-8) both beat teams with better records( Falcons 11-5 and the Colts 11-5, respectively), who were also in tougher divisions(NFC and AFC South). All I can say is WOW!

Cardinals  30  Falcons  24.  Kurt Warner threw two touchdowns, one to each of his Pro Bowl receivers, Larry Fitzgerald on a 50 yd. Flea Flicker, and a 71 yd.  catch and run  touchdown to Anquan Boldin. Tim High tower  scored on a 7 yd. run and FS  Antrelle Rolle on a run blitz “intercepted” a handoff and run 25 yds. for a touchdown. The story, however, was the defense of the Big Red. As someone who has followed the Cardinals for 20+ years, I have seen the defense play like it did on Saturday, only one other time. In January 1999 at Dallas, the Wild Card Cardinal’s Defense demoralized Troy Aikmen, Emmitt Smith and  the “snowman”, Michael Ervin, as they allowed 7 points, a lone TD to the Snowman in a game that was virtually over. The Cards won in Dallas against the Aikmen, Smith and Ervin dynasty  20-7. This game on Saturday reminded me of that game long ago in Dallas. The Cards defense held the #2 Rushing attack to about 45 yards. Michael Turner was completely shut down. If this defense plays this way in Charlotte on Saturday, and the Cardinals offense plays error free ball( Warner had one pick off of a deflection by his receiver), they can beat the Panthers who they played earlier this year. The Panthers won in Charlotte by 4 points. More about this and all of the games on Friday’s picks. All of this to say, that I was impressed.

Chargers  23   Colts  17  OT  This game was about the Chargers star running back…not LT, but back up RB Darren Sproles, who rushed for 105 yds. and 2 TD’s as the Chargers beat the Colts in overtime. Actually both of these teams had an unusual season. The Colts staggered out of the gate and ended up winning their last nine games. The Chargers were 4-8 at the beginning of December, and won their last 4 to snatch the AFC West title from the Broncos on the last day of the season. This was probably as big a surprise as the Cardinals handling of the Falcons. Although in November, the Colts played the Chargers in SD and won on a field goal in the closing seconds. So I guess that it was going to be close, but who would have figured that 5′ 6″  Darren Sproles would run over the Colts Defense and become the hero of the game. We’ll see what happens in Pittsburgh on Sunday afternoon.

Ravens  27   Dolphins  9. The story of this game was the Ravens relentless defense. Dolphins QB Chad Pennington was intercepted 4 times, once for a 57 yd. touchdown run by SS Ed Reed. The ravens defense was all over Pennington. The Dolphins were unable to establish the run early and quickly resorted to passing, which played into the Raven’s hand. The Dolphins were never really in this game. For the record the Ravens offense did not greatly over power Miami’s defense; it’s just that Miami’s defense ended up on the field for much of the game. The Ravens basically ran the ball most of the time, with a few passes here and there from Joe Flacco, plus a QB Draw for a 5 yd. TD run. It wasn’t an overly exciting game, but It was a great defensive performance by the Ravens. If they play like that on Saturday at Nashville the Titans will have their work cut out for them.

Eagles  26   Vikings  14.This game was actually closer than the score indicates. This was a good game to watch. The Vikings offense was somewhat lack luster, but their defense held the Eagles in check most of the game. If the Vikings offense had given a better performance, they might have won. However, Donovan McNabb and the Eagles out lasted the Vikings strong defense and won this game in the 4th quarter on a screen pass to RB Brian Westbrook( whom the Vikings had pretty well shut down) who ran 71 yards to pay dirt. This was the game. The Eagles did get a field goal after this, but by this time the Vikings were pretty weary. They played a good game against a hot team. It was a valiant effort by the Vikings defense, as well as the defense of the Eagles who held RB Adrian Peterson to 83 yards. It was an over all good game. I am looking forward to seeing a rematch of the Eagles and Giants on Sunday. This could be the best game of the weekend.

I’ll post my picks for the AFC/NFC divisional Play offs on Friday. Have a good week.

                                                                                                                                      Frank

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Welcome to Wild Card weekend. This may be the first time in a long time that the Wild cards are favored to win. Every one of these games should be exciting to watch. They all feature some good match-ups. Let’s get to the games.

Falcons @ Cardinals. This game is a Marquee match up featuring a top running attack- the Falcon’s Michael Turner and Co.- versus the Cardinals top notch Passing attack with Kurt Warner , Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston. This game also features the AP’sOffensive Rookie of the year Falcons QB Matt Ryan, who has been been instrumental in turning this franchise around from last year’s Michael Vick debacle and a 4-12 record, to 11-5 and one of the best teams in the NFL. On the other side, you have a perennial loser in the Cardinals, whom Kurt Warner’s resurgence to his MVP form, along with a competent and confident coaching by Ken Whisenhunt, has turned the psyche of this team into a winner. This is not to say that the Cardinals have “arrived”. Anyone who thinks so, needs to watch the Jets, Patriots and Eagles games; that will bring them back to reality, but still, what an improvement from 3 years ago.  This game will hinge on the Cardinals ability to contain Falcons RB Michael Turner. If they can do that, it will force Matt Ryan into 3rd and long situations, and the Cards will come after Ryan with a vengeance, forcing bad throws. However, if the Falcons can establish the run, the Cardinals will have an uphill battle. Kurt Warner is a play maker, and if he’s on the field, good things can happen. Last week’s game is a good example of what I mean. The Cards need to get RB Edgerrin James into the game early to set up play action, if not, it could be a long day for Kurt Warner( or a short one). I think that the Falcons want this one more. Falcons by 3

Colts @ Chargers. The Colts stumbled out of the starting gate, but got healthy and have won 9 straight games. The Colts defense is improved from last year. I think that for the Chargers to win this, they will have to play error free football; no big penalties or crucial penalties, no fumbles,no pics, and no big plays to WR’s Marvin Harrison or Reggie Wayne. Can the Charger’s defense shut down all of Peyton Manning’s weapons? Maybe, but I doubt it. The Chargers scored 52 points Sunday, but they will be playing against a much quicker defense on Saturday night. If Charger’s RB LaDainian Tomlinson  can’t get going very quickly, QB Phillip Rivers will find himself in 3rd and long situations where Colts DE Dwight Freeney will be coming swiftly. The Colts beat the Chargers this year in SD 23-20. However, the Chargers have won 4 straight games, and it could go down to the wire just like it did in November. It should be a good game to watch. I’m taking the Colts by 3.

Ravens @ Dolphins.The Dolphins are the turn around story of the year, actually the Falcons have a similar story. Anyway, from 1-15 a year ago to 11-5 and champs of the AFC East, Chad Pennington and the Dolphins are going to try and defeat a Ravens team that has had a very good season as well. Rookie QB Joe Flacco has benefited from the powerful ground attack led by RB’s Willis McGahee and Le’Ron McClain. Flacco has only had a limited number of 3rd and long situations and has found WR Derrick Mason and TE Todd Heap when he needed some big yards. Pennington has also had a good year,and has been supported by a strong running attack featuring the “Wildcat” formation led by RB’s Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. The key for the Dolphins is to establish the running game early, which will not be easy against a Ravens defense that allows about 82 yds. rushing per game. If they can do this, then they have a chance at controlling the clock, otherwise, the Dolphins defense may have a long day on the field. This game features two running teams, and so I am guessing that it could also be low scoring. It could be one of those “grind out the clock” games. Of course, having said that, it probably won’t be(lol). Ravens by 6

Eagles @ Vikings.The Eagles have the advantage in this game for 2 reasons: The Vikings have a great running game behind RB’s Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor, but QB Tarvaris Jackson demonstrated last week that he is an inconsistent passer, in fact some of his throws were not merely bad, they were really  bad, demonstrating why he was probably benched early in the season. The Eagles are willing to put 8 men in the box because they have 2 excellent DB’s in Sheldon Brown and Asante Samuel, who are certainly capable of playing bump and run with any of the Vikings receivers. Secondly, the Eagles have  the best utility ‘back in Football in Brian Westbrook, who was injured for the better part of the season, but has come on strong the last several weeks. If Donovan McNabb has a good day passing and doesn’t turn the ball over, the Eagles should cruise. If not, Adrian Peterson could establish a ground control, clock control game. If this happens, it could be close. I’ll take the Eagles by 3

Enjoy the games this weekend. I’ll post the scoreboard on Monday, and post an analysis of the games by Wednesday. Have a great weekend and a great new year in 2009.

                                                                                                             Frank

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As the sun began to set on Sunday afternoon, with it went the high hopes of a Superbowl season for the inconsistent, and sometimes lack-luster Dallas Cowboys. The Eagles came to play,and the Cowboys apparently didn’t. This was a team that many “experts” picked to win it all at the beginning of the season. As it turned out, the Cowboys were the biggest disappointment of the entire football season. I can’t imagine what Jerry Jones must have been thinking as the whistle blew at the 2 minute warning, watching his “Dream Team” take their worst beating of the year in a game that they needed to make the play offs. A game that they indeed should have been able to win, a game in which they were in fact, favored to win. Even though the Cowboys are not one of my favorite teams, I actually began to feel sorry for them as they got trounced in Philly. Why? The story of the Cowboys this season is not merely about statistics and big plays, it is about something much more intangible.

Sometimes the media can be a huge distraction to a team’s focus. For the last couple of years the media has been writing about  Tony Romo and his relationship with Jessica Simpson. WHO CARES?  They have also made sure to print the rantings and blame shifting antics of Terrell Owens. WHO CARES? These “personal matters” distract a team, even an exceptionally talented one, such as the Cowboys. Last year’s media hype about the Patriots reaching for the “perfect season”, ended up creating a mental ” burn out” on the team. All one has to do is see the last game of the regular season when they played the Giants, and won, versus, playing the same team a month later and the difference in how  they played. It was a “night and day” difference.

There is another problem in Dallas: too many egos in the locker room. Jerry Jones has now found out what Yankees owner George Steinbrenner has so painfully learned over the past few years: An All Star Payroll  does not necessarily buy  a World Championship.( Maybe these two guys need to sit at Starbucks awhile and talk.) Team chemistry is something that cannot be purchased. This is not to say that you don’t need talent to win, just ask the Lions, but still, buying an All Star team hasn’t seemed to work all that well in the modern world. This is not a shot at Wade Phillips, but look what Mike Singletary  did for the 49ers the second half of the season. It is no wonder the the owner offered Singletary a 5 year contract. He demonstrated how to take a somewhat talented group of players and get them to play as a team, something that Dallas did not do very well this year. Sometimes its better to be “hungry” than good, just ask the Eagles. The Eagles were the long shot at the play offs, but knowing that if they win, they’re in, they acted as a team of starving vultures Eagles to beat up, in my opinion, a more talented group of players from Dallas. Continue reading »

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Well gang, it was another exciting week in the NFL. it was more of the same  as it has been the last 2 weeks. If anyone would have told me at the beginning of the season, that the last three weeks would totally change the play off picture I wouldn’t have believed it. But I believe it now. The Eagles, who had the longest shot to get in, are in. Dallas, the team that many “experts” picked before the season started to go all the way, was decimated by the Eagles on Sunday, and are out.  New England, who won, and has an 11-5 record, is also out. Tampa Bay who had to beat Oakland at home was “trampled” by the run for the 3rd week in a row. The play offs will be interesting. I’ll post my picks on Friday for Wild card weekend. Now, on to the Scoreboard.

Falcons 31   Rams  27

Texans  31   Bears  24

Vikings  20   Giants  19

Panthers  33   Saints  31

Steelers  31   Browns  0

Raiders  31   Buccaneers  24

Colts  23   Titans  0

Packers  31   Lions  21

Patriots  13   Bills  0

Bengals  16   Chiefs  6

Ravens  27   Jaguars  7

Dolphins 24   Jets  17

Cardinals  34   Seahawks  21

49ers  27   Redskins  24

Eagles  44   Cowboys  6

Chargers  52   Broncos  21

I’ll post my Upset game of the week tomorrow. Have a great day.

                                                                                                         Frank

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